Chapter 73: Final Conclusion

Christopher Busch was involved in the murder of my son Tim. “Tell ‘em what you gonna to tell ‘em, tell ‘em and then tell ‘em what you told ‘em” (Chapter 2). This is a short summary of what I have told you in the previous Chapters 66 to 71.

Once Busch died he could not be tried or convicted. The facts presented to me do not contain information exonerating him. After his death both Oakland County and the original Task Force essentially closed the door on the OCCK murders for almost 30 years. Presumably, they could then reopen the case if any other suspect was identified.

Four of the major factors supporting my conclusion are the non-evidentiary facts set forth in Chapter 67. After the Task Force was revitalized in 2005 Richard Thompson, the Oakland County Prosecutor responsible for the case from the beginning, told the Michigan State Police Busch was guilty. Four unrelated persons advised the King family the murderer was the son of a GM or automobile executive. On October 19, 2009, the Task Force told the family of Kristine Mihelich that Busch and his companions were the leading suspects. After Jessica Cooper became the Oakland County Prosecutor on January 1, 2009, she told the Michigan State Police not to provide her with OCCK information. Why did she do this unless she had been advised that the case was closed?

Chapters 68 to 70 set forth 24 questions to the Oakland County Prosecutor. The King family has additional areas of discussion if Cooper would only take time to meet with us. There can be a number of reasons why a prosecutor chooses not to charge a suspect. If the reasons are professional it is common to explain this to the public. How often have you read that two mutual deaths were the result of a murder-suicide? Cooper advised the media that she would not charge the Northland Mall representatives who killed a customer because they had no intent to kill him, a professional conclusion. Without an adequate explanation the King family cannot eliminate the possibility the reasons are personal (Busch’s father was a friend of the prosecutor?), political (the Busch family was a major contributor to the election campaigns?), previous mistakes (Busch was allowed to plead guilty in his four pedophile cases rather than trying him?), power and control (we cannot allow Wayne County to solve the case?) or other alternatives.

Three years ago Cooper referred to me as an 82 year old senile attorney. Her conclusion is interesting because she has never talked with me. If you agree with her I apologize for taking up your time. If you decide her judgment on my senility is incorrect or her failure to answer the questions from the King family is improper, please vote for her opponent Mike Goetz this November.

There will be post scripts to this Story but this is the final Chapter on my analysis of the investigation into Tim’s murder. One footnote will request the legislature to include new laws to require victim information in future cases.

Thank you for your patience if you have read all or any of my 73 Chapters.

Barry King.

Footnote: You can access this Story at “afathersstory.occk.com”. You can locate specific Chapters by adding “/chapter-xx”. Another source is “afathersstory-OCCK.wordpress”.

13 Comments

I believe your story and those of the other OCCK victims needs to be told. A documentary perhaps to get answers. It worked for Brendan Dassey in ” Making a murderer”. As far prosecutor Cooper’s comments on you being a senile old man, she should be ashamed of herself. I see a father who has fought for 40 years for answers. Don’t give up the fight. I truly hope you will all find the answers you so rightly deserve.

Thank you for sharing your family’s painful journey with us. I have followed your and your daughter’s blog since their beginnings and have prayed they would spur a renewed investigation into the murders. I cannot imagine your pain. Please know that so many of us who you can never know carry you in their hearts.

I lived in Birmingham at the time of all of the Oakland County Child Killings. They are as fresh in my mind today as they were at that time. Many times I was in that parking lot where Tim disappeared. It shattered this county. You are not senile as I am well aware that coverups, favors and dirty politics as very real even for someone as horrible as a child molester and killer. Anyone who issues those favors to climb the ladder of success will surely pay for that at the end of their life. I am old enough to see it come full circle many times over. I hope you have some peace with your research and conclusions and I am so sorry your wife never did.

You have convinced me Busch was involved!! His family obviously used its influence to keep him out of Prison and from ruining the family name!! Others were involved not only in the murders but in the cover up following. I still have questions about his suicide ?? Was it a murder staged to look like a suicide?? I have enjoyed reading your story and I think your evidence and conclusions are spot on!! Does that make me senile ?? Jessica Cooper is less than a marginal human being…Thanks and god bless you and your family.

You are the greatest and a hero. I hope and pray that you will get the answers you deserve to solve Tim’s murder. Tim and the other kids will never be forgotten, any kid who grew up in Oakland County in the 70’s will never forget what happened. I try to live my life with love in my heart for everyone but, what Jessica Cooper did to you, I hope she lives in pain the rest of her life. I agree 100% that Busch was involved. I have read everything I could on this case for most of my 51 years and too many things point in Busch’s direction. I just feel like others that he must have had accomplices to pull this off, i dont believe he could have done it on his own. Please keep up the fight and stay strong. God Bless you and your family and all the best!!!

Thank you! The fight to know who killed your son is so honorable! I wish there were more answers. Growing up those 4 children haunted us in the area. God Bless you and your family. I hope these murders are solved one day.

You and your family have done everything you possibly can to get answers. Not just for yourselves, but for the families of the other victims and for all of us. Many of us had no idea about the kind of perverted things that were going on in society that were exposed through the investigations and inquiries into these murders. It would not surprise me if the lack of information being provided to the victims’ families and the animosity shown by the Prosecutor’s office to the King family in particular, has been out of fear of litigation against them. If Christopher Busch was involved, as it appears he likely was, the record of his “preferential” treatment in comparison to Gregory Greene, glaringly implies that at least Tim’s murder, if not one or more of the others, could have been prevented. The people who allowed that to happen, along with those who have perpetuated it, will ultimately be held accountable on judgement day. I hope you efforts to get the legislation passed are successful.

Mr. King,
I hope you find all the answers someday. You truly are a remarkable man for pursuing this case in the way you have. I am am sad for you and for Tim and the other victims and their families. What a tragedy. I think it might behoove you to get a hold of John Walsh of “The Hunt”. Maybe television might be a way to get witnesesses to come forward.

You are far from senile, Mr. King. You and your family have been tireless advocates for not only Tim, but all of the innocent victims of the OCCK. Ms. Cooper should be ashamed at the way she has treated your family and this case. What happened to Tim and the other children changed the way any child in OC navigated through their youth. God bless you and your entire family – you have been a constant beacon of light throughout the years.

Far from senile! Your dedication as a father to see justice for Tim and the other children is overwhelming. Your strength and character are a light in the otherwise horrible darkness of this tragedy. Continued prayers for you and your family. Justice will be done.

Thank you for your comments. I will follow up with post scripts primarily to discuss my observations on noncriminal matters and to ask for legislative action to require the prosecutors to discuss failures failures to charge with crime victims when the police conclude otherwise.

Dear Barry,
I’ve read all 73 chapters and I can’t think of anything more you could do, how you could do it with any more integrity, or how you could have been done it better. You’re incredibly thorough, diligent, and intelligent. I pray for an eventual resolution to this tragic case.
Sincerely,
Pete Mantyla

I accidentally bumped into a news story about your efforts to find out the truth and it literally broke my heart to see a father relentlessly trying to do justice to his child, even 40 years after… you’re a good father. You’ve been for the last 40 years. I really hope you can find some answers. And please remember that (as someone else said) love can’t be taken, or lost, or missed.
All the best to you and your family!